Question about blood tests : Hello! I... - British Liver Trust

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Question about blood tests

Plantlifetime profile image
7 Replies

Hello!

I’ve recently stopped drinking alcohol, as I was worried about how I drank as well as how much. For example, if I had wine at home, over the evening I would more than likely drink most ( if not all) of the bottle. I think socially I’ve always drunk in a more chaotic way than my friends, though they have moved on to marriage and kids, I’m single and 38 and so still have an active social life, which in the UK seems to revolve around going for a drink.

The GP advised that I should never drink again and I’ve been doing that for just over a week.

The problem is I have itchy skin and my back and right side hurt. I explained this concerned me and she referred me for blood tests. I asked for the intensive one I’ve read about called ELF? As I’ve had LFT before, for other things and my results have been fine, which is weird as why would I have liver pain if everything was fine?

The rest she’s referred me for is an LFT, and Gamma GT and electrolytes and creatinine.

Is this enough to start with? She seems to think so but I am worried.

Thanks for any help.

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Plantlifetime
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7 Replies
AyrshireK profile image
AyrshireK

IF your symptoms are liver related then you would anticipate that the tests that have been ordered would flag an issue - particularly GGT which is the most sensitive of the liver inflammation markers. The ones your GP has ordered are a good first step.

Katie

kensimmons profile image
kensimmons in reply to AyrshireK

While this is from the USA this is the best overview that I have found of the first tests doctors will do.

mayoclinic.org/tests-proced...

Plantlifetime profile image
Plantlifetime in reply to kensimmons

Thanks, that is really useful!

Plantlifetime profile image
Plantlifetime in reply to AyrshireK

Thank you, I’m hoping they are a step in the right direction.

Danzighavoc777 profile image
Danzighavoc777

you have something similar to me but I’m not saying it’s the same thing. So after April I started having a lot of back pain and right side pain and center of my chest pain like someone punch me dead center so I quit drinking april 25th but the pain never went away for about a month and then slowly started to go away. But still lingered and still does here and there. I went to the emergency room in June after dealing with this for a whole month and they did blood test and ultrasound and Ct scan with contrast and the only thing that came back was my lipase was 2600. Well I got referred to a gastroenterologist and still did another series of blood test but before April I just had my yearly and it was all normal so June had another blood test and found the lipase to be elevate. So in july my primary doctor saw me and said he wants to do another series of blood test and mind you I’m getting my liver checked and kidneys checked in these blood test which are coming back normal so anyway I had the tingling and itchy skin and pain in my neck and shoulders and back and right side hell it could have been left side too for all I know but I will tell you that I started the Google search and it told me I was dying from everything so I had worked my self up into a hypertension mode which my doctor told me is causing the tingling and itchy feeling so put me on some anxiety meds and said get off Google. Well long story short I did that and my blood test came back perfect this time and then the gastroenterologist saw me and said he wants to do blood test so again I did another series plus he did an MRCP and an upper endoscopy and the final diagnosis was that I had acute pancreatitis and also I have gastritis with an inflamed esophagus so he saw my liver and my test and said I do not have cirrhosis but what I did have was acute pancreatitis and the left over pain is from gastritis and esophagitis I hope this helps ease your mind because sometimes your mind can work you up to a point that is so severe and it will cause you much more pain but take care and hope you start feeling better

Danzighavoc777 profile image
Danzighavoc777 in reply to Danzighavoc777

Hyperventilation not hyper tension

Plantlifetime profile image
Plantlifetime in reply to Danzighavoc777

Sorry you’ve had so many health issues, it doesn’t really sound like my experience though.

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